Ok first to try to define "system seller". My simplistic and amateurish view is that a system seller is a game which causes a significant (30%+, 40%+ 100%?) sales spike in the week it's released, and possibly for a week or 2 thereafter.
Been reading a thread or two where people are a bit down on the lack of hardware push inFamous had, where others have wondered why on earth anyone would think inFamous would increase hardware sales. And I got to thinking: Are there any games yet to be released that are going to really cause major upsurge in hardware sales?
At this point in all 3 console's lifecycles are there really so many people who are seriously committed to gaming that have not already bought into this generation? For 360 maybe, though since 360 has already outsold XB there is basically no one left from the XB generation waiting to get into the 360 for well loved 360 franchises to push hardware. For Wii, there is really no reason why fans of some beloved and anticipated Nintendo games should still be waiting to get into the Wii. For PS3 it's arguable that there are still a lot of people who love some PS/PS2 franchises who are holding out and waiting to buy. But are they waiting for their #1 game or are they waiting for that elusive price cut?
People are saying Halo ODST will move 360s. Will it? Surely everyone who's into Halo already has a 360 and they are playing Halo 3. Who's left to buy 360s when ODST comes out? Or will 360 owners also upgrade their current 360 to a new 360, but even if they do will that be in numbers big enough to be a big sales spike?
People are saying MW2 will move systems. Really? Aren't there already plenty of COD fans in this generation? How many gamers have held out this long waiting for MW2 when current COD games are critical and sales successes?
How many Zelda and Metroid fans haven't already got their Wii?
PS3 fans are claiming GoWIII (not to be confused with GoW3, surely this is an acceptable means to differentiate these games with the same acronym) as a major system seller, I don't see it. As good as it is, more people own a PS3 than the number of people who bought GoWI & II combined. How many GoW fans are here on this site who haven't got a PS3 and are waiting till GoWII to get one? very few I'd wager.
Now we come to the big 2: GT5 and FFXIII. Are people holding out on buying PS3 (GT5) or PS360 until one or other of these games arrives? I think these 2 games might move systems, FFXIII especially in Japan.
Sure I think all the games (and others) mentioned above will cause an uptick in sales on the week they're released. Basically any new game with reasonable advertising support leads to a HW sales increase (you could argue that inFamous was partly responsible for the PS3 increase last week), so in that respect all new major release titles are system sellers. But I'm talking about system sellers that truly wow the analysts and have a seismic effect on the charts. Are there really any games that will do this for any of the 3 home consoles?
“The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.” - Bertrand Russell
"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace."
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